Linn.
Family: Zingiberaceae.
Habitat: Throughout the plains of India, cultivated in gardens.
Ayurvedic: Sugandha-vachaa, Chandramuula, Chandramuulikaa. (In Kerala, used as Karchura and Shathi.) (Kapurakachari is a different drug, equated with Hedychium spicatum.)
Siddha/Tamil: Kachoram.
Action: Tuber—stimulant, carminative, expectorant, diuretic used for respiratory ailments like cough, bronchitis and asthma.
The essential oil from rhizomes contain n-pentadecane, ethyl-p-methoxy cinnamate, ethyl cinnamate, carene, camphene, borneol, p-methoxysty- rene, p-methoxy cinnamate, p-meth- oxy-trans-cinnamic acid and cin namaldehyde. Insecticidal activity of the oil is attributed to ethyl cinna- mates. Ethyl-p-methoxy-cinnamate shows monoamine oxidase inhibitor activity and a cytotoxic principle (the rhizomes exhibit cytotoxic activity).Leaves and flowers exhibit antiphlogistic and vitamin P activity. Ethyl-p- methoxy-trans cinnamate is the main compound in the root.
Mostly used as a spice in Thai cuisine, few people know that Galangal herb can also be used for a tasty tea due to its properties. Learn more about its interesting impact on your health.
About Galangal tea
Galangal (also known as galanga, blue ginger, laos) is an East Asian tropical shrub with lance-like leaves, iris-like flowers, and reddish brown, woody rhizomes, belonging to the ginger family. Widely used in the Asian cuisine, few people know that there are two main types, both called lengkuas or laos : Lesser galangal and Greater galangal also called Galanga or Temulawak. In its raw form, galangals have a stronger taste than common ginger. It can be found as fresh root, dried root or dried, ground powder, tea or tincture.
Galangal rhizomes are rich in a complex of compounds such as resins, eugenol, volatile oil, galangol, as well as kaempferid, galangal, alpinin, and carbohydrates. Rhizomes are aromatic and pungent with a ginger-sour-lemon flavor.
You can drink galangal tea at any time, during the day.
How to brew Galagal tea
In order to prepare a tasty tea, it is recommended to use the galangal root, dried or powdered. Infuse 1/2 teaspoon of powdered rhizome in one cup of boiling water, steep 10-15 minutess and drink up to 3 cups a day. If you choose the root in the first brew, you can reuse it several times afterwards. Galangal tea has an amazing flavor, either sweetened or not.
Benefits of Galangal tea
Galangal tea is famous for easing digestive problems and in some Asian countries it is considered perfect for physical, mental and spiritual health and it is even believed to have aphrodisiac properties.
Although galangal root is a little bitter, galangal tea relieves bloating, constipation, sluggish digestion, and gas.
This tea can induce a deeply meditative state as well as powerful vivid dreams. It is even perfectly easy to fall asleep after drinking a cup of galangal tea.
Galangal tea has been used for centuries for its tonic properties as it can instantly reduce fever and indigestion or ease stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
It has been used for sea sickness, headaches, spleen enlargement, catarrh, bronchitis, rheumatism, foot pains, liver and gall bladder disorders, sore gums, as well as a respiratory and heart stimulant, and as a treatment for impotence.
It is also used as a body deodorizer and breath cleanser.
Side effects of Galangal tea
Galangal tea inhibits the release and action of pancreatic lipase, so do not associate it with digestive enzymes. Like most teas, it has precautions when it comes to children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Galangal tea is basically good for your health but do not exceed 3 cups a day if you want to benefit from its healthy properties.... galangal tea
Alpinia galangaZingiberaceaeSan:Sugandhamula, Rasna;Hin:Kulainjan; Mal:Aratta, Chittaratha;Tam:Arattai;Guj: Kolinjan;Kan: Dumba-rasmi; Mar: Kosht-Kulinjan;Tel: Pedda-dumparash-tramImportance: The greater galangal, Java galangal or Siamese ginger is a perennial aromatic rhizomatous herb. This plant is cultivated for its rhizome in tropical areas of south and East India. Because of the presence of essential oil, the rhizomes are used in bronchial troubles and as a carminative. They are also useful in vitiated conditions of vata and kapha, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammations, stomatopathy, pharyngopathy, cough, asthma, hiccough, dyspepsia, stomachalgia, obesity, diabetes, cephalagia, tubercular glands and intermittent fevers. It is one of the ingredients of medicated “Pan” used for removing the foul smell of the mouth and getting relief in throat inflammation. In Ayurveda, “Rasna-saptak-kwath” and “Rasna-adikamath” are used as antiinflammatory decoctions. In Unani, it is an ingredient of aphrodisiac preparations, “Majun Mugawivi ma Mumsik”, “Majun Samagh”, and antispasmodic nervine tonic “Majun Chobchine” and “Lubab Motadil”. It is also used in “Arq Pan” as a cardiac stimulant and carminative.Distribution: The Java galangal is mainly distributed in Eastern Himalayas and South-West India. This is very common in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Kerala, Karnataka and throughout the Western Ghats. It is cultivated also in these places. They are also found in countries like Sri Lanka and Malaya.Botany: Alpinia galanga (Linn.) Willd. belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial herb, about 2m high with lower portion covered with smooth leaf sheaths. The leaves are broadly lanceolate, 30-60cm long and 10-15cm broad. The flowers are arranged in erect, terminal panicles. composed of numerous spreading dichotomous branches each with two to six, pale greenish-white faintly fragrant flowers. Fruits 1.25 cm long, oblong, constricted in the middle or even pear shaped, three sided and deep orange red in colour. Seeds are ash coloured, three angled, finely striated towards the hilum. Both the seeds and rhizomes have pungent aroma.Apinia calcarata (Linn.) Willd is another species of the genus with much medicinal importance. It is shorter in stature but stronger in aroma than Alpinia galanga.Agrotechnology: Siamese Ginger comes up well in tropical climate. It grows on a wide range of climates and soils. Well drained hilly areas and places of 1400m high altitude are good for its cultivation. This is commercially propagated vegetatively by rhizomes. The field should be ploughed to a good tilth. All the stones and pebbles should be removed. Organic manures at 10t/ha are applied during land preparation. Seedbeds are prepared with 1m breadth, 2m length and 15cm height. Small pits are made at 25cm spacing above the seedbeds and 5cm long rhizomes are planted. Seedbeds are covered with dried leaves. It is irrigated immediately after planting. Regular weeding is needed during the initial stages of crop growth. This is cultivated also as an intercrop in coconut or rubber plantations. Rhizomes are dug out after cutting the top portions when the crop reaches 1.5-2 years of maturity. The average yield is 10-15 tonnes of fresh rhizomes/ha and the driage is 25-30%. The collected rhizomes are washed and cut into pieces of 5cm long and dried in sun for 4 days before sale.Properties and activity: The rhizome contains tannins and flavonoids, some of which have been identified as kaempferide, galangin and alpinin. Seeds contain 1’-acetoxychavicol acetate and 1’-acetoxy eugenol acetate, antiulcer principles caryophyllenols I and II, n-pentadecane, 7-heptadecane and fatty acid methyl esters. Rhizomes yield essential oil containing methyl cinnamate, cineole and d-pinene and sesquiterpenoids. Fresh rhizome yielded 18 monoterpenoids of which -pinene, -pinene and limonene as major compounds and 17 oxygen containing monoterpenoids with cineol, terpinen-4-o1, and -terpineol as minor compounds.The rhizomes are bitter, acrid, thermogenic, aromatic, nervine tonic, stimulant, revulsive, carminative, stomachic, disinfectant, aphrodisiac, expectorant, broncho-dilator, antifungal, febrifuge, antiinflammatory and tonic. Rhizome is CVS and CNS active, diuretic, hypothermic. Seed is antiulcerative. Rhizome spray in ether, over a space showed high knock down values against houseflies. Alcohol (50%) extract of rhizome is anti-amphetaminic. Unani physicians consider it good for impotence.... greater galangal
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